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07/11/2012

Buying A Voice: Majority PAC attacks Allen

Virginia senate candidate Tim Kaine (D) has taken quite a bit of heat from third party political groups looking to damage his campaign, but now the former governor has some help.

At one point Kaine made an effort to team up with this rival George Allen to ask SuperPACs to stay out of the race for senate in Virginia. Allen declined the offer, so Kaine, did not stand in the way of a SuperPAC going to work on his behalf in Virginia, and their first ad, hits Allen hard.

Here is a look at the ad:

So who is the "Majority PAC"?

There are working to hold on to the slim democratic majority in the senate. They aren't shy about those intentions, boasting of their work in important battlegrounds across the country on their web site.

Virginia has been increasingly important, and they've invested quite a bit already to help Tim Kaine. They’ve spent more than $200 thousand already.

Many of the Majority PAC's donors are available online on the FEC website. Of those listed none are from Virginia in this current election in cycle.

In 2010, two Virginia donors gave hefty sums to help the democratic cause. The Richmond law firm of Allen & Allen gave $10 thousand dollars and the law firm Rutter Mills in Norfolk gave $1 thousand.

But that is only what is listed. Majority PAC is affiliated with Patriot Majority PAC, a 501 c-4 that is not required to reveal its donor list.

According to the Center for Responsive Politics, In 2012 Patriot Majority PAC spent more than $3 million. So far in 2012 they have invested only around $49 thousand.

And despite their connections Patriot Majority PAC is not directly responsible for this particular ad.

At this point the big money is being spent by Majority PAC. Center for Responsive Politics records show that in 2012 their spending already tops more than $3 and half million dollars, and they still have close to $3 million left.